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Nicola Sturgeon told the United Kingdom's public inquiry into the pandemic that she didn't use informal messaging such as WhatsApp to make decisions. Although Scotland is part of the U.K., its government has powers over matters relating to public health. Sturgeon's standing has been further dented by the recent revelation that her WhatsApp messages had been deleted, which has led to questions about her trustworthiness or whether she has anything to hide. Last week, Sturgeon's successor as first minister, Humza Yousaf, offered an “unreserved” apology for the Scottish government’s “frankly poor” handling of requests for WhatsApp messages. Johnson agreed in late 2021 to hold a public inquiry after heavy pressure from bereaved families, who have hit out at the evidence emerging about his actions.

Persons: —, policymaking, Nicola Sturgeon, ”, Sturgeon, Boris Johnson, hadn't, hasn't, WhatsApp, “, Humza Yousaf, Heather Hallett, Johnson Organizations: United, Scotland, Scottish National Party, Scottish Locations: Scotland, Edinburgh, England, Wales, Northern Ireland

☆ We now have more details on what happened with the Alaska Airlines door plug — and how Boeing plans to address quality issues
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Bloomberg has reported new details about what may have caused the Alaska Airlines door plug blowout. AdvertisementNew details have emerged regarding how the door plug on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 blew off the jet mid-flight earlier this month. The investigation is focused on four bolts that hold the door plug in place. Boeing CEO says door plug installation will have inspections "at every turn"According to Boeing, 129 have been ungrounded as of midday on Wednesday. The agency has halted Boeing's 737 Max production expansion while it addresses quality control lapses.

Persons: Dave Calhoun, —, Max, AeroSystems, Ingrid Barrentine, Justin Sullivan, Calhoun, We've, I've, Max fuselages Organizations: Bloomberg, Alaska Airlines, Boeing, Service, Alaska Airlines Boeing, Max, National Transportation Safety, Seattle Times, New York Times, US National Transportation, Business, NTSB, Federal Aviation Administration, BI, United Airlines, FAA Locations: Alaska, Renton , Washington, Renton, Wichita

☆ Meet the JPMorgan executive emerging as a dark horse to succeed Jamie Dimon
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Rebecca Ungarino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Read previewA longtime JPMorgan executive who has kept a low public profile while cultivating a reputation as a successful trader with a talent for managing risk is emerging as a contender to succeed Jamie Dimon as chief executive. His new position through the internal shuffle has vaulted him more publicly and prominently into the most closely watched succession race on Wall Street. JPMorgan executive David Hudson told the publication that he returned to JPMorgan after working at Nomura in 2010 "to work for Troy." Rohrbaugh's other stops at JPMorgan have been head of global markets and head of macro markets. A senior JPMorgan executive who works with Rohrbaugh recalled that time during the pandemic.

Persons: —, Jamie Dimon, Dimon, Troy Rohrbaugh, Jennifer Piepszak, Wall, Marianne Lake, Rohrbaugh, Goldman Sachs, Euromoney, Eddie Wen, David Hudson, He's, Gary Gensler's, Goldman, Cantor Fitzgerald, Tim Soulas, Cantor, Johns Hopkins, you've, he'll, Kaja Whitehouse, Alex Morrell Organizations: Service, JPMorgan, Wall, Business, CIB, North America, Goldman, Nomura, Troy, Federal Reserve Bank of New, Global, Securities, Exchange, Banque Nationale, CooperNeff, Philadelphia Stock Exchange, World Trade Center, New York Daily News, Gilman School, Johns Hopkins University, Alpha Delta Phi, Baltimore Sun, Bloomberg Locations: Dimon, North, JPMorgan's, Canadian, Manhattan, Baltimore, Maryland, New York

☆ China's economy is facing a nightmarish Year of the Dragon
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

With the Year of the Dragon less than two weeks away, China's economy wobbled again on Monday. Fragile growthIn late 2022, China's Communist Party finally called time on its harsh zero-COVID measures — but the economy hasn't enjoyed the post-lockdown rebound many forecasters had predicted. DeflationFalling prices are another source of China's economic woes. AdvertisementNone of that speaks to a dedication to the free market — so China will likely keep struggling to attract more foreign investment in 2024. The sell-off reflects investor concern about the economy's overall health, as well as Chinese tech companies falling behind their US rivals in the development of AI.

Persons: wobbled, Linda Chan, Evergrande, Liquidators, hasn't, they'll, Li Qiang, John Kerry, Janet Yellen, Elon Musk, Xi Organizations: Hong, Business, China's Communist Party, World Bank, Tesla, Communist Party, Bain, Co, Big Tech, CSI Locations: Hong Kong, Evergrande, Beijing, China, Japan, Shanghai

☆ An America Where Guns Do the Talking
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Rachel Louise Snyder | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

ONE NATION UNDER GUNS: How Gun Culture Distorts Our History and Threatens Our Democracy, by Dominic ErdozainWHAT WE’VE BECOME: Living and Dying in a Country of Arms, by Jonathan M. MetzlLast year, a friend from Brunei visited me in the United States. She is American but was raised in Sudan and has lived in Cambodia and Scotland, among other places. We were talking about the rise in anxiety among teenagers in America when another friend texted me; her daughter had just arrived home from school, where she’d spent the afternoon in lockdown. Are mass shootings, record suicides and endless homicides the new norm even for those of us who aren’t interested in accumulating arsenals? deliveryman knocks on Erdozain’s door, he dives for cover like a “shot fox.” As with the lockdown at my friend’s daughter’s school, the threat abates, but the emotional tremors linger.

Persons: Dominic Erdozain, Jonathan M, Metzl, texted, she’d, “ They’re, Carol Anderson, Michael Waldman, Akhil Reed Amar, we’ve, You’re, deliveryman Locations: Brunei, United States, Sudan, Cambodia, Scotland, America

☆ Everybody hates locked-up products. This company says it has a solution
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —People tend to hate going to a store and finding deodorant, toothpaste, shampoo, cosmetics and other everyday products locked up on shelves behind display cases. So some retailers are testing a way to let customers use their cell phones to open locked shelves. So stores are now testing a security tool that lets customers use their cell phone to unlock products on the shelf. Stores are now testing a security tool that lets customers use their cell phone to unlock products on the shelf. Earlier this month, Indyme’s website listed Kroger, Safeway, Lowe’s, Raley’s and other chains as retailers testing the security device.

Persons: ”, Joe Budano, Budano, “ We’ve, Raymond Burke, ” Burke, “ Organizations: New, New York CNN, Shoppers, Retailers, Indyme, Kroger, Safeway, Lowe’s, CNN, Indiana University, “ Locations: New York, St, Louis

☆ China securities regulator suspends restricted share lending from Monday
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

An investor reacts as she views the stock index at a securities company on May 30, 2007 in Shanghai, China. The CSRC added that the move would "resolutely" crack down on illegal activities that use securities lending to reduce holdings and cash out. The regulator also said it will limit the efficiency of some securities lending in the securities refinancing market from March 18. Last October, the CSRC restricted securities lending businesses and tightened scrutiny of improper regulatory arbitrage by imposing higher margin requirements. Both Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges said they will suspend securities lending by strategic investors during lockup periods, effective from Jan. 29.

Persons: CSI300 Organizations: Analysts, China Securities Regulatory Commission Locations: Shanghai, China, Beijing, Shenzhen

☆ Ecuador: As terror grips the streets, even the armed forces live in fear
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( David Culver | Abel Alvarado | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Suddenly, residents, including Camille and Diego, found themselves seeking a safe place for themselves and their loved ones. Ecuadorean Police/Handout via ReutersHours after terror broke out in Guayaquil, President Daniel Noboa took an unprecedented step. Noboa, who had only been inaugurated two months earlier, declared an “internal armed conflict” in the country and ordered Ecuador’s armed forces to “neutralize” the members of more than 20 gangs, which he labeled as terror groups. Since then, Ecuador’s national police and armed forces have been carrying out raids of homes of those with suspected ties to terror groups. Experts warn that Ecuador’s terror groups are aligned with a wider criminal network, including the notorious Sinaloa Cartel out of Mexico, complicating Noboa’s attempts to “neutralize” criminal groups operating within his borders.

Persons: Ecuador CNN — Camille Gamarra, Diego Gallardo, Camille, Diego, “, ’ ” Camille, ” Camille, – José Adolfo Macías, ” –, Jose Adolfo Macias, Daniel Noboa, they’ve, ”, Jaime Vela Erazo, Fito, Sean Walker, Noboa, CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, It’s, Carlos Jimenez, ” Jimenez, Jimenez, he’s, “ I’ve, I’ve, “ I’m, Noboa’s, Cesar Suarez Organizations: Ecuador CNN, Ecuadorean Police, Handout, Reuters, CNN, Joint Command, Ecuador’s Armed Forces, Colombian, RCN, Residents, TC Television Locations: Guayaquil, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, United States, Europe, Sinaloa, Mexico, Aire, Golfo

☆ I started DJing in my 70s. When my wife and I go to nightclubs people there say they want to be like us when they get older.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Melissa Noble | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

My wife Christine and I started our business, Kinder Australia Pty Ltd (a supplier of mechanical conveyor parts), in 1985. AdvertisementI started DJing early in the pandemicWhen we all went into lockdown in 2020, I thought, "What's everyone going to do? When things opened up, we went to see a fair bit of live music. Then, I started to connect socially with some of the people who were doing live podcasts during the early pandemic. It went really well.

Persons: —, Neil Kinder, Christine, Neil, Christine Kinder, Nightingale Bros, Beauy, Australia — Brown Brothers —, Sam Miranda, Christine Kinder It's, I've, Goodness Organizations: Service, Business, DJ, Kinder Australia, Facebook, Spotify Locations: Melbourne, Beaumaris, Australia

☆ Many remote employees have 'no attachment' to their work, and no passion or creativity, the CEO of cosmetics giant L'Oreal says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewL'Oreal's CEO had some harsh words for remote workers , saying they lack attachment, passion, or creativity in their roles, during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. L'Oreal USA's former CEO Stephane Rinderknech called the company's 11,000 employees back to the office in a staggered process in July 2020. "It's vital for the company, and it's vital for the employees. CEOs have changed their tune on remote work since the pandemic saying that employees are more productive and efficient in the office. AdvertisementNumerous firms including Google, Meta, Starbucks, and JPMorgan have walked back their remote working policies as a result, and are requiring workers to come back to the office .

Persons: —, Nicolas Hieronimus —, Hieronimus, L'Oreal USA's, Stephane Rinderknech, It's Organizations: Service, Economic, Business, Daily Telegraph, L'Oreal, Google, Meta, JPMorgan Locations: Davos, Switzerland, French, California

☆ I grew up in the West Bank under military occupation. Now I pay homage to my homeland through my fashion designs.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-21 | by ( Yoonji Han | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewThis is an as-told-to essay based on a conversation with Rami Kashou, a Palestinian American fashion designer. I grew up during the second intifada under the Israeli military occupation. Courtesy of Rami KashouMaking clothes as a kid living in the West BankEven when I was younger, I was fascinated with fashion. AdvertisementIn the West Bank, making your own clothes was a way to be fashionable because we don't have much access to the rest of the world. Draping comes from a culture where women drape themselves in fabric, whether it's a shawl, a veil, or a long dress.

Persons: —, Rami Kashou, I'd, Elsa Klensch, sister's Barbies, Paris Hilton, Penelope Cruz, Kim Kardashian, I've Organizations: Service, Business, West Bank, US Locations: Palestinian American, Jerusalem, Ramallah, America, —, Hollywood, Palestine

An FBI agent sought the warrants in the days after the shooting to search Qi’s phone, apartment and car. Qi's student visa prevented him from legally possessing a firearm, the warrants state. Qi’s arrest warrant from August accused him of possessing a 9 mm pistol unlawfully on campus. An employee of a shooting range in nearby Wake County said Qi visited the range on Aug. 17 and Aug. 27, according to the documents. In paperwork he filled out to use the range, Qi listed Yan as his emergency contact, according to the search warrants.

Persons: Qi, Zijie, Yan Organizations: —, University of North, UNC, Chapel, News, Observer, FBI, Caudill Laboratories, Department, Applied Physical Sciences, Authorities Locations: N.C, University of North Carolina, Zijie Yan, Raleigh, Wake County

☆ Grim retail sales suggest possible recession for Britain
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Shoppers walk past shops on Regent Street on the final weekday before Christmas in London on December 22, 2023. Britain's economy unexpectedly shrank in the third quarter and flatlined in the previous three months, official data showed Friday, raising fears of a recession before an election due next year. The Office for National Statistics said sales volumes fell by 3.2% during the key trading month, after a 1.4% rise in November. Volumes were 0.9% lower in the three months to December 2023, compared with the previous quarter. Trade body British Retail Consortium said that the figures "capped a difficult year for retailers" and showed that Black Friday sales ate into Christmas spending.

Persons: HENRY NICHOLLS, Alex Kerr, Kerr Organizations: Getty Images, National Statistics, Reuters, ONS, Capital Economics, Trade, British Retail Consortium Locations: London, AFP

☆ American bought an apartment in Spain and made a new life for himself. ‘I have not looked back’
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Silvia Marchetti | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Of all the cities Coe had toured and lived in during his career, including Hong Kong, Singapore, Seattle and Chicago, he picked laid-back Barcelona, Spain. Matthew Coe bought an apartment in Barcelona in 2021. Jordi FolchRhythm of life in SpainHe has quickly picked up the daily rhythm and easy-going habits of Spain. Yet the pros of living in Spain by far outnumber the cons, Coe says. In Spain, he’s eligible for national health care, having contributed through Social Security payments and having lived in Spain for more than 5 years.

Persons: Spain isn’t, you’ve, Matthew Coe, Coe, ” Coe, Jordi Folch “, ” Coe “, Matthew Coe Coe, “, Matthew Coe Barcelona, Jordi Folch, ”, it’s, He’s Organizations: CNN, Spanish Consulate, Social Locations: Spain, Wenatchee , Washington, Hong Kong, Europe, Singapore, Seattle, Chicago, Barcelona, Turkey, Italy, Greece, Spanish, Valencia, Madrid, Catalunya, United States, Pacific Northwest, overtourism

☆ I'm a 30-year-old teacher who left the U.S. for Denmark—4 things I definitely don't miss about America
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Ilana Buhl | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

In 2018, I left Dallas, Texas and moved to Copenhagen, Denmark to live with my Danish husband. Now, at 30 years old, I'm a mother and teacher with a permanent residence in Denmark. The work cultureWhen I was an elementary school teacher in Texas, I was easily working close to 55 or 60 hours a week, even though I was contracted for 45 hours. There is a mentality that you work to live, you don't live to work. At first, I wasn't sure what to expect from a public health care system, but I have been very satisfied with my experience.

Persons: I'm, It's, I've Organizations: Amazon Prime, Labor Locations: Dallas , Texas, Copenhagen, Denmark, U.S, Texas

☆ After a rough run, North Korea could at last find itself 'sitting pretty' in the new year with both Russia and China courting it, Korea watcher says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The result could be a very fortunate 2024 for North Korea, one in which Russia and China are both chasing after its attention. In that case, North Korea could be "sitting pretty," a top Korea watcher said last week. North Korea leader Kim Jong Un observes artillery fire competition in North Korea. North Korean military cadets hold a North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il's flag during a perform of the Arirang festival which is a part of commemorations marking the 60th anniversary of the Workers' Party of North Korea on October 6, 2005, in Pyongyang, North Korea. North Korea, on the other hand, has criticized, sometimes openly, China's disapproval of its testing of intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Victor Cha, Cha, Kim Jong Un, Vladimir Putin, Kim, North, Kim Jong, SAUL LOEB, Chung Sung, there's, Xi Jinping, Xi, Donald Trump's, Trump, Putin, MIKHAIL METZEL Organizations: Service, Business, Democratic People's, Center for Strategic, International Studies, CSIS, The Capital, North, Trump, Asian Affairs, White, National Security Council, REUTERS, Metropole, Getty, White House, Putin, Korean, Workers ' Party of North, Vostochny Locations: Russia, Ukraine, North Korea, China, Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, COVID, Asia, Hanoi, North, Korean, Workers ' Party of North Korea, Pyongyang, Beijing, Amur

☆ A Redditor discovered that a San Francisco pizzeria operates over 70 brands on DoorDash from its kitchen, selling pasta, wings, desserts, and halal food
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

A San Francisco pizzeria appears to operate more than 70 virtual brands on DoorDash selling falafel, pasta, and wings. AdvertisementA pizzeria in San Francisco appears to operate more than 70 different virtual brands on DoorDash. Restaurants sometimes design their own virtual brands, but they can also host other virtual brands. Uber Eats removed 8,000 last spring and summer and DoorDash says it will remove brands that virtual brands quality requirements. Reddit users didn't seem surprised to discover that the Polk Street address operates a network of virtual brands.

Persons: Redditor, —, N'Sert, Hoodline, We're, Fresco, DoorDash, Uber, they've, Philly, Polk Organizations: San, Service, DoorDash, Business, Polk, Fresco Inc, Google, Cupid's Locations: San Francisco, Burger, DoorDash

☆ Russian demand for Dubai property is slowing — but China's is picking up, DAMAC chairman says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

But that wave is slowing down, DAMAC Chairman Hussain Sajwani says. But other countries are coming in strong, especially Chinese coming back," Sajwani told CNBC's Dan Murphy at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Tuesday. "Dubai is, you know, surrounded by more than 100 countries with all kinds of issues and challenges. While China's economy faces challenges at home, Dubai is benefitting from those who can spend outside of the country. "So a lot of people coming and residing in Dubai anyway."

Persons: Hussain Sajwani, Sajwani, CNBC's Dan Murphy Organizations: Economic Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Gulf, China, Davos, Switzerland, India, Europe, Dubai, Israel, UAE

☆ Diamonds Made With Solar Power Are Offering Fiancées Ethical Fashion
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-13 | by ( Yusuf Khan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +8 min

“She really did not want a natural diamond because of the child labor [concerns],” said Henshall. A lab-grown diamond made with solar power. Made largely in China and India, lab-grown diamonds are produced using heat and pressure but without any mining. Three years later the former retail executive started selling lab-grown diamonds produced in a solar-powered factory in Gujarat, India. The volume and quality can vary but is a good barometer of appetite for natural diamonds, as well as prices.

Persons: Peter Henshall, Tasha Mawdsley, Tasha, ”, Henshall, “, Peter aren’t, Paul Zimnisky, Pandora, Laura Lambert, Fenton, “ It’s, We’ve, ” Lambert, ” Beth Gerstein, David Kellie, De Beers, De, Lightbox, LVMH, Cartier, Richemont, Kyle Grant, Grant, it’s, Yusuf Khan Organizations: Natural Diamond, Business, First Insight, Baker Retailing, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Diamond Exchange, Miners, De Beers, yusuf.khan@wsj.com Corrections, Amplifications Locations: Ibiza, China, India, Danish, London, Gujarat, U.S, Amplifications Danish

☆ I'm an American teacher in China. I can't see myself going back to the US to teach.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Harlie Rush | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

However, as a product of the American public school system and a teacher in China, I notice a number of distinct differences characterizing education. China represents the world's largest population of English language learners, and this multilingual environment impacts the school and the students. One can often hear students speaking English together in the halls due to either school policy or an interest in the language. China boasts a nearly flawless high school graduation rate, and students often begin their education in an early years program. As a teacher in China, I'm more respected than in the USTeaching is an esteemed and sought-after profession, and teachers in China will often find more respect from students and parents than those in the US.

Persons: Harlie Rush, Rush Organizations: US, China, American, Linguistics Locations: China —, Midwest, Chicago, China, Shanghai

☆ The Beatles created a painting together while on tour in Japan. It sold at auction for $1.7 million
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-21 | by ( Radhika Marya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The Beatles arrive at Tokyo's airport for their brief tour of Japan in 1966. Each corner of the painting reflects a personal touch, with plenty of variety in shapes, colors and even the paints used. Jiji Press/AFP/Getty Images/FileAfter its completion, the painting was acquired by Tetsusaburo Shimoyama, an entertainment industry executive who was then the chairman of Tokyo’s Beatles fan club. “Images of a Woman” was part of Christie’s “Exceptional Sale,” a yearly auction event held in New York, London and Paris. The Beatles perform during a concert at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo in 1966.

Persons: ”, Casey Rogers, ” Rogers, “, it’s, …, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Beatle, Robert Whitaker, Brian Epstein, Lennon, McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Christie’s, Harrison, Starr, Rogers, Jiji Press, Tetsusaburo Shimoyama, Takao Nishino, Nishino, Beatlemania, “ they’re, ’ Organizations: CNN, Beatles, Japan’s, Nippon Budokan, Tokyo Hilton, Keystone, Jiji, Getty, ”, Budokan Locations: Tokyo, New York, Japan, France, London, Paris, San

Nguyen, 29, is a celebrity nail artist and the owner of JennPaintt Nail Lounge in Los Angeles, where she offers a range of services, from manicures to eyelash extensions. Some of Nguyen's most famous clients include Paris Hilton and Hailey Bieber, but her salon is open to non-celebrities, too. She first moved to Los Angeles in 2019, seeking a respite from New York's harsh winters. At the time, Nguyen was a substitute teacher for a public school district and had planned to continue her teaching career in Los Angeles. "But I wasn't making enough money teaching," Nguyen recalls.

Persons: Jenny, Nguyen, Hailey Bieber, Jenny Nguyen, Andrew Evers Organizations: Paris Hilton, Apple, Converse, CNBC, New, Hofstra University Locations: Los Angeles, manicures, Chanel, New York, Los

☆ Electric scooter company Bird files for bankruptcy
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-20 | by ( Ashley Capoot | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A banner for electric scooter rental company Bird is displayed outside of the New York Stock Exchange as the company goes public via a SPAC on Nov. 5, 2021. The electric scooter company Bird , once valued at $2.5 billion by investors, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Florida federal court Wednesday. The company went public via a merger with a special purpose acquisition company in 2021, but its share price tumbled. Bird's bankruptcy proceedings come after the New York Stock Exchange delisted the company in September. Bird Canada and Bird Europe are not part of the company's Wednesday filing and will "continue to operate as normal," according to the release.

Persons: Bird Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, Bird, CNBC PRO Locations: Florida

☆ Former PM Boris Johnson to Defend Record and Conduct at UK COVID Inquiry
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Dec. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

By Andrew MacAskillLONDON (Reuters) - Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will make a much-anticipated appearance before an inquiry into the handling of the coronavirus pandemic on Wednesday with his personal reputation and that of the Conservative government at stake. He was said to have asked at one point if blowing a hair-dryer up his nose could kill the virus. The inquiry is assessing decision-making through written and oral evidence from former and current ministers and officials. It has also been given access to private messages they exchanged in the run-up to, and at the height of, the crisis. In private messages seen by the inquiry, Simon Case, Britain's most senior civil servant, claimed in private messages that his boss changed "strategic direction every day" and he was unable to lead.

Persons: Andrew MacAskill, Boris Johnson, Johnson, Rishi Sunak, Patrick Vallance, –, Dominic Cummings, Eddie Lister, Lee Cain, Simon Case, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Andrew MacAskill LONDON, British, Conservative, Britain, Conservatives, Labour Party Locations: COVID, Britain, Downing

☆ A US vet wanted to retire in Bangkok. Less than 2 years later, he realized city life wasn't for him and built a home with his fiancée by the sea.
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Joe Green and Gift Prakaew gave up Bangkok city life to live in a seaside town in Central Thailand. Joe Green/Thai Girl Gift and Foreigner JoeThe allure of the countrysideThe couple ended up buying a plot of land for $40,000. Joe Green/Thai Girl Gift and Foreigner JoeThe couple's bedroom faces a mountain, and the sea is a five-minute walk away, he said. Joe Green/Thai Girl Gift and Foreigner JoeThe couple worked with a builder and an architect to build their home. Joe Green/Thai Girl Gift and Foreigner JoeOn the other hand, the cost of living in Thailand is "reasonable," he added.

Persons: Joe Green, Prakaew, Green, —, Manhattan — Green, Joe, Prachuap Khiri Khan, weren't, I'm, It's, they'll Organizations: Service, US Department of Defense, Hoboken , New Jersey —, Manhattan —, YouTube, roosters Locations: Bangkok, Central Thailand, Europe, United States, Hoboken , New Jersey, Manhattan, New York City, Asia, Thailand, Australian

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